MoP Approves Netmetering Upto 500 KW Rooftop Capacity
Ministry Of Power (MoP) Has Finally Amended The Much Awaited Electricity (Right Of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2021 With Respect To Rooftop Solar Segment. The amendment clearly states “Provided that where the regulations does not provide net-metering, net-billing or net feed-in, the commission may allow net-metering to the prosumer for loads upto 500Kw or upto the sanctioned load, whichever is lower and net-billing or net feed-in for other loads”. The amendment further states that in case of prosumers availing net-billing or net feed-in, the commissions may introduce time-of-the-day (TOD) tariffs whereby prosumers are incentivised to install energy storage for utilization of stored solar energy by them or feeding into the grid during peak hours thus helping the grid by participating in demand response of the Discoms. Also in case of net-metering or net-billing or net feed-in, the distribution licensee may install a solar energy meter to measure the gross solar energy generated from the grid interactive rooftop solar systems for the purpose of RPO credit, if any.
India Extends Fame-2 Scheme Till 2024
The Union government has extended FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) phase 2 scheme by two years till 31st March 2024. The Department of Heavy Industry had announced the extension of its ambitious scheme to promote electric mobility by two more years by issuing the notification in the Central government’s Gazette of India. The FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) phase 2 scheme dated 8th March 2019 was for the period of 3 years and is to be end on 31st March 2022. As per the given new notification by the department, now the scheme has been extended for another 2 years ie till 31st March 2024.
RERC Relaxes New Rooftop Solar Norms Till Sept 15
Rajasthan state electricity regulator (RERC), in its order dated June 30, has extended the implementation date of new net metering norms for solar rooftop projects that restricts the benefits only to the household consumers and bars commercial projects having more than 10 kilowatt capacity. The new norms were to kick off from July 1. As per the new order issued, the new norms will be effective from September 15. In the meantime, the Union ministry of power increased the threshold for rooftop solar projects up to 500 KW instead of 10 KW for net metering benefits. The commission also said it “directs that the Rooftop and Small Solar Grid Interactive Systems commissioned under Net Metering agreements upto September 15, 2021, shall continue to operate under the Net Metering arrangement”.
MNRE Gives Time Extension to RE Projects Due to Covid
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in its notification dated 29th June 2021 stated that it has given an extension of two-and-a-half months for RE projects with commissioning dates between April 1 and June 15, 2021. This is amid the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. MNRE has notified the changes that will prevent developers from being charged penalty for delaying commissioning of projects beyond the agreed timelines. The power ministry has also granted an extension of three months to all interstate transmission projects under construction, with the scheduled commercial operation date (SCOD) falling after April 1, 2021, hit by the resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
NTPC Tenders For 1 GW of Grid Scale Battery Storage
NTPC is Inviting an Expression of Interest from Indian/Global Company/ their Consortium/ Affiliates/Representatives for setting up 1000 MWh of Grid-scale Battery
Energy Storage System at single/split across multiple NTPC Power Plants in India. This EOI is to assess commercialization prospects of Setting up Gridscale Battery Energy Storage System. The BESS shall be set up within NTPC power plant premises. After identifying the APPLICANTs through EoI who are interested in setting up 1000 MWh Grid-scale Battery Energy Storage System, Request for Proposals (RfP) for undertaking project(s) at single/split across multiple NTPC plants shall be invited separately for setting up the facilities and scalable model for further additional requirements.
India Encourages Companies to Go Green
India is setting rules that will make it easier for companies to switch entirely to renewable power, which is a key step toward decarbonizing the nation’s fossil fuel-dominated economy. The new regulations will allow companies to purchase renewable electricity from state distributors at weighted average prices, called “green tariffs,” Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh said at the virtual BloombergNEF summit.
Accelerating use of clean energy in offices and factories, the largest power consuming segment in the country, will be key to achieving targets to cut emissions per unit of the GDP. It will also help the companies improve their environment, social and governance or ESG scores by reducing their carbon footprint. In an effort to ease the situation, those opting for green power will be allowed open access when they aren’t tied down to the local distributor within 15 days, instead of having to wait for months, Singh said.
